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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Professionalism: Ethical Guidelines

Some people say common sense isn’t so common because not
everyone has it. Well I would say the same for professionalism, unfortunately.
Many who call themselves “Professionals” lack the ability to display ethical,
professional behavior toward others. Whether due to a true skill deficit, or
just ego, sometimes the very individuals who are in positions of leadership or
authority can also be the most unprofessional.

Along with behavior theory, analytical skills, research design knowledge, etc., I strongly believe that an excellent BCBA or ABA
therapist must possess Professionalism.
Professionalism is simply setting a standard of behavior for yourself, and
deciding that regardless of the situation or the client you will maintain that
standard.

As an ABA professional, no matter how long you have
been in this field your ethical behavior will set you apart from the pack. Professionalism shows people that you are in this field
for the right reasons and have integrity. It doesn't matter how long you have been working in this field, it is important to have integrity and respect for the people around you. The way you treat people and
interact with clients won’t be quickly forgotten. Trust me; parents have very
good memories when it comes to bad experiences with rude, money-hungry, poor quality, or condescending ABA providers.

The Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is a great
starting point for developing a habit of professional behavior. Families appreciate and deserve respectful treatment from their ABA provider.

By making a professional impression upon your
clients, you also help to raise the bar of what they expect in the future
from other ABA professionals. So in a way, you have the opportunity to improve
the behavior of people you may never meet.

Here are my own “Golden Rules” of professionalism
in the field of ABA:

Kindness and manners are always appreciated – Manners go beyond just “please”
and “thank you”. Remain mindful that as ABA therapists we often work inside of
peoples homes: Clean up after yourself, greet everyone when you enter, and have a warm demeanor. If you need to schedule a meeting with the family you work
for, don’t tell them when the
appointment will be, ask when they
are free. Return phone calls and emails promptly (within 24 hours is best) and
notify clients if you will be late for a session. Even if you are only running
a few minutes late, sometimes parents have rearranged their entire day to
accommodate your therapy session.

Maintain boundaries with clients – Part of being a professional is
understanding your role. You were hired to do a specific job, and that is to
provide ABA therapy. No matter how nice or friendly your client may be, it’s
inappropriate to become more of a friend and less of an ABA therapist. The risk
of getting too close to a client is that you can lose your objectivity. The
family could also come to depend on you more than they should.

Be tactful – Parents often tell me “It wasn’t what they said to me,
it was how they said it”. Even bad news can be delivered in a way that minimizes
hurt or angry feelings. Be aware of your tone of voice, facial expressions, and
the words you choose. Are your words accusatory? Does your facial expression make you appear angry? Do you use lots of frustrated sighs when talking to a particularly difficult client? Be mindful of tact when communicating.

Don’t give false hope – Working with a family who has a special
needs child is a very important job, and an emotional job. Parents will ask you
all kinds of questions about the future, what could happen, what will happen,
etc. It is highly unprofessional to answer emotional questions from a
parent such as “Why did this happen” or “Will she ever talk”. Be careful of
making recommendations based on your own opinion, as some parents may treat
it as fact. If you mention in conversation that a certain supplement is great
for hyperactivity, the parent might go purchase that supplement just because
you “endorsed” it. No matter how long you have been in this field, I can guarantee that you lack the ability to see the future, or know everything there is to know about Autism. It is better
to say “I don’t know” than to give a desperate parent false hope.

Leave a situation the way you entered it (as a
professional)
– Leaving a company, position, or family can be emotional and difficult for
both sides. Families or agencies often take
resignations personal, no matter what your reason may be for leaving or how much notice you give them. It’s important not to burn bridges. This field and the
Autism community can be smaller than you think. Give adequate notice, offer to help train your replacement, and be honest
about why you are leaving…..even if the employer doesn’t appreciate your
honesty and chooses to be angry and resentful. You can
make a choice to remain professional regardless of how you are treated.

Respect the expertise or knowledge level of non-ABA people
– Avoid being
condescending to non-ABA professionals who you must collaborate with, such as teachers,
paraprofessionals, nannies, grandparents, etc. You should be able to explain
what you do and what ABA is to anyone who asks, using simple language. I have
met teaching staff who assumed that just because I was an ABA
therapist I would be rude or dismissive. When you interact with people as an ABA
professional you have an opportunity to not just represent yourself but the
whole field. You have the power to change opinions and mindsets.

“Confrontation” is not a bad word- Confrontation can get a bad rap. Just the thought of having to confront someone can
make people feel anxiety or fear. Confrontations do not have to be hostile or
explosive. In this field, being adept at confronting issues with a client is
a must. Issues will happen, and as the professional you should be the
first one to address it. With tact and emotional
self-control, you should be able to discuss and resolve any issue with a client. As one of my supervisors used to say "Be a grown up!".

Listen more than you talk- I believe that an indicator of
arrogance is someone who talks much more than they listen. Have you ever been on a job interview and not been able to
get 2 words in because the interviewer won’t stop talking? People who cannot
listen are people who do not value what others have to say. I remember many years ago I had a client say to me
that she could tell I was new to the field, because I asked her so many
questions and then actually listened to
her responses. As
professionals, we have so much valuable and
important information to share with parents, but parents also have valuable
information to share with us. Professionalism is knowing when to
speak and when to just be quiet and listen.